Described. 141 



departure from the advantageous form of the original 

 pure blood. 



There has also been considerable alteration in the 

 direction and form of the haunch, which, besides being 

 a loss of power, is also a sign of want of breeding. The 

 loins and quarters of the Arabian are more beautiful and 

 far more powerful ; they can hardly be called his greatest 

 characteristics, but yet an Arabian might be known by 

 his hind quarters. Another point, the pasterns, which 

 in the Arabian are oblique and yielding, are strong 

 and large in comparison with those of an English 

 thorough-bred horse, as are all other joints. Youatt 

 says : 'In the formation of the shoulder, next to 

 that of the head, the Arab is superior to any other 

 breed.' Again : ' The shoulder-blade has its proper 

 inclination backwards. It is thickly clothed with 

 muscle, but without the slightest appearance of heavi- 

 ness.' The same author says : ' The chest of the Arab 

 may, pcrJiaps, be considered too narrow, that being 

 the opinion of the uninitiated, or of those who have 

 studied an imperfect and inferior model, whose judgment 

 has been thereby perverted. But^ says the same writer, 

 ' behind the arms the barrel generally swells out, and 

 leaves sufficient room for the play of the lungs.' Youatt 

 is still more emphatic when stating the advantages of 

 this formation, which gives a broad deep chest : ' It is to 

 the mixture of Arabian blood that we principally owe 

 this peculiar and advantageous formation of the chest of 

 the horse. The Arab is light, some would say too much 

 so before, but immediately behind the arms the barrel 



